Temptation Waits
by novaeverdeen
Summary: Katniss Everdeen died in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Peeta Mellark won. How will Primrose deal with the loss of her sister and seeing Peeta as the victor? PrimxPeeta.
1. Chapter 1

My sister Katniss Everdeen was dead.

She had died in the 74th Hunger Games. I watched her die on screen as Clove's knifes took away her life, her esscense and faded her into nothing. A part of me died then too.

Katniss and I had only been a year apart – her sixteen, me fifteen. Mother had us very close together. We were connected. And now she was gone.

Everyone was thrilled because Peeta Mellark had won the Hunger Games. An outlying district winning – it was unheard of. But I could feel no joy. I could feel nothing. Not without Katniss here. Mom was vacant, but tried her best to help me. But no more Katniss calling me "little duck". No more of Katniss singing me to sleep.

I watched as Peeta came down from the train. He looked thinner than usual, and I heard he had lost his leg. He had nothing to do with katniss's death but I still couldn't look him in the eye. I went to play with my braids, something I did when I was nervous, but I remembered I had done it up in one braid to sweep down my side. In honor of katniss.

Everyone congraulting peeta, telling him he did a good job outwitting the Careers. But he hadn't been the one to kill Clove. No, in the end, the boy from district 11 did, Thresh. And part of me found sadstic enjoyment out of it.

I couldn't stand to be by the train station any longer, seeing peeta there with Effie Trinket, seeing everyone pleased with him. I had lost my sister.

I walked away from the procession, my heart heavy and bleeding with the weight of my tears and my blood. I looked out at the woods katniss liked to go to. She wouldnt go there anymore.

"you can sell cheese from your goat" she had tole me before she left. She had told mom not to cry. But I couldn't help myself.

I thought for sure she had a chance. With her archery skills, and her strong attitutde. But I was wrong. And now she was gone.

I couldn't even look at peeta. Some part of me irrationaly hated him. It should be katniss there, coming home. It should be katniss at the train station. Not me. As I walked home, someone called me. I turned around.

"Gale." I said as he jogged up to me.

"Where are you going?"

"Home." I said.

He bit his bottom lip as though he wanted to sasy somything but what do you say in this case? What can you say?

"I'm sorry, prim." he said.

"You loved her." I said to hm bluntly. It took him aback and he didn't say anything as I walked away.

Some part of my head was throbbing. Some part of me wanted peeta dead, as irrational as it was. Some part of me wanted to curl up and die. And some part of me was scared of what I was becoming.


	2. Chapter 2

Peeta moved into Victor's Village. He did his victory tour and I tried my most to ignore all the details.

I stayed with mom, trying to get on with life. We tried to fill the gap that katniss had left. But it wasn't easy. Life tried to return to some normacy and it was okay until one day I ran straight into peeta. I had been walking home, past the bakery, when to my surprise peeta came out of the baker.

"Prim." he said.

I stopped, holding my basket close to me, this was a killer, this person outlived my sister in the games and left me alone.

"What?" I said to him.

"I...I just wanted to talk to you."

"Why?" I snapped, taking a step backwards.

"There's a lot I want to say to you. About the Games."

"I don't want to hear it, Peeta. I don't want to her anything about the Games."

Peeta tried to talk again but I tried to move past him, "Stop." I said.

Peeta looked anguished, "Prim. Prim, wait."

He reached out and grabbed my arm. I tuggged it away.

"Dont' touch me." I said.

"I just need to talk to you...about the Games. I just need to let it out, prim, I need to talk to you about Katniss."

I paused, "Why do you need to talk to me about Katniss? It isn't like you killed her."

"I know but...i just know how much...how much..."

How much she meant to me. How much she was there for me.

"Just say it." I said.

Peeta cleared his throat, "Haymitch and I are mentors now. And I think, every year i'm gonna have to do this. Train someone. Someone from here. Someone I might know. Someone like Katniss."

I just looked at him.

He went on, "And I think...I think it should have been Katniss, Prim. Instead of me. It should have been katniss."

I felt slightly taken aback by what he said. I wasn't expecting it. I didn't want him to talk about katniss. I still felt angry about it. I know he didn't kill katniss but it felt like he did.

"It should have been katniss coming home, prim. And with the reaping coming up...it feels like the games were just yesterday. And it's starting again," he rubbed his hand through his hair, "I can't believe it is starting again."

I couldn't either. Had it been a really a year since the Reaping? A year since katniss died? A year since my mother, Gale, and I watched her die on the screens in the square? My heart ached. But I would relieve it every year too, in knowing that katniss had passed at the same time each year.

"Listen, it's just...almost been a year, and I know i've been out of the districts a lot but I wanted to try to talk to you before the reaping. It's a Quarter Quell and I just...who knows what they are going to do this year?"

I shrugged, "I don't want to think about it. Katniss isn't your problem, peeta." I turned around, "Don't talk to me. I don't want to talk to you."

I walked away. It was chilly out and I tried not to think about what peeta had said. "It should have been me" he had said. Part of me agreed, the angry, bitter part of me. I looked down at the basket of herbs to help my mom with her medicine practice. I thought about the upcoming repaing and what it would be like. I felt numb. Would I ever feel again?


	3. Chapter 3

It was Reaping Day. Mother dressed me and kept my katniss braid intact. A year ago today, katniss was there helping me get ready. Now it was just me. The void threaten to throttle me and hold me down. I felt like I couldnt breathe. The deja vu without katniss was brutal. How will I get through today?

Plus it was a Quarter Quell, which just meant that it was something new to the games. Effie Trinket would eanncounce it at the reaping. I felt dead as I walked towards the square. I would see peeta. His conversation echoted through my head. He would mentor this year.

The square was crammed full of people. I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack. This was just too familiar. When Katniss's name had been called, it felt like the air had left me completely. I knew her name was in a bunch of times but I didn't think she would have been called up. I didn't think the odds wouldn't be in her favour. I thought surely, all those names in there she wouldn't get picked. Not my Katnis. Not her. But she did. And now I was walking into the square alone. My breathing was shortned and I saw Peeta and Haymitch up on the stage. Effie Trinker was wearing an obscene gold outfit, with her skin painted a silver to match it. She looked ridicioulous but they all did from the Capitol. I hated them too.

I saw Gale who waved a little at me. I waved back. He had tried to help me as much as he could since katniss died. I knew how he had looked at her. He had loved her. I understood his pain and accepted his help.

Effie Trinket walked up to the podeium, holding a large piece of paper. Probably the quarter queell announcment.

"Welcome, welcome!" she said in her high pitched voice, "Before we begin, I have the announcement for the ever exciting Quarter Qell!" sure, I thought, I bet it was thrilling. "This is a high honour! From President Snow himself! The 75th Annual Hunger Games will have previous victors enter the arena!"

A hush fell over the crowd. Previous victors? That meant either Haymitch or Peeta would be going into the arena. But we had no female victors...

Effie cleared her throat, "In this special case of District 12, we have no...female victors. So a female victor will still be reaped."

Fresh meat, basically, how is one normal person suppose to stand against twenty-three victors?

"Ladies first." she said and walked over to the female reaping bowl.

There was a pause as she pulled out the slip and opened it. Then a queer look passed through her face as she looked at the piece of paper. She read the name.

"Primrose Everdeen."

I froze. My entire body froze. This has to be a joke, right? This couldn't be serious – I couldn't – I ean just mlast year it was katniss. How could it be me?

"Come on dear." Effie was saying and I felt my feet go ahead robotically.

How could this be was all I was thinking. How could this be? I'd be killed instantly. 23 against me. I couldn't.

I made it to the stage and Effie nodded at me, smiling, though her smile seemed almost strained. I could hear my mom sobbing and sounds of disquiet in the crowd. Had this ever happened before? I couldn't think. Effie turned to a smaller bowl. Two names.

She opened up a slip, "Haymitch-"

"I volunteer." Peeta said suddenly and stepped forward, his eyes locking to mine.

I could only stare at him.

I would be going into the arena with Peeta Mellark.


	4. Chapter 4

I was in the justice building, waiting to see good-bye to everyone. The reality still hadn't sunk in. I don't understand how this could be. I don't understand how both katniss and I could both be repead. It felt like a twitsted joke. I stared out the window, the very same window katnniss had stared under the last year. The door clicked open and mom came in.

"Mom." I said and she came over and hugged me. "Mom, i'm so sorry. I'm sorry." I tried not to cry. Katniss hadn't cried and I won't either.

She stroked my cheek, "My beautiful daughter," she said, "I'm the one that is sorry. I'm so sorry. About katniss. About your father. And this."

"We have bad luck, don't we?" I mumbled, trying to make light of the situation but failing.

The door clicked open again and Gale walked in. He came over and hugged me.

"Prim, -"

"I know." was all I could say.

I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, "I'll try my best."

what else could I say?

Soon enough I was on the train with peeta and Effie and Haymitch.

"It's so tragic, I can't believe it, I really can't, I mean your sister last year and you this year, it's so tragic." Effie rambled on and I tried to tune her out as she lead us into the dining cart. "And peeta, you just won last year, to go back into the arena, it's just so sad." she dabbed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"lay off, Effie." haymitch said before he left the car completely. Ecen this was too much for him.

"Why don't you two just make yourself at home? We'll be at the captiaol tomorrow." she darted off in her six inch heels, her silver skin glowing under the train lights. I was alone with peeta.

I didn't want to look at him, but the burning question remained. Why did he volunteer? Was it for haymitch? But he looked at me when he had voluteneered. So was it for me? I don't know. I didn't know anything anymore except the aching of my heart.

The silence was broken by him speaking.

"Prim." he said and I flinched.

"What?" I mumbled, looking out the window, my one braid falling over my shoulder.

"I just..."

"Why did you volunteer?" I asked him.

There was a pause and then, "To protect you. To do it right this time."

I let out a dry laugh, "to be my protector? What are you going to do peeta, kill everyone and then yourself? I'm going against victors. I'm the only normal tribute because our district sucks."

Peeta shifted his weight on his artitifical leg, "Prim," he sounded strangled, "I have to do this, for katniss. You...you don't deserve this, you can't be reaped -"

"Well, I am." I said and I left him alone in the car train.

At night in my bed, as we whirled towardds the capitol, I had nightmares. Katniss dying, clove's knifes driving into her, her bleeding out, the cannon booming, her name becoming just another fallen tribute. Would that be my fate?

But then I thought...i thought before I went, before I died, I could get peeta. I could kill peeta. Couldn't I? My final act before one of the victors killed me off. I could get peeta back for winning, for not having katniss back. He wanted to protect me, but the only way he could protect me was if I could kill him before I died. So I could die in peace.


	5. Chapter 5

The moment we landed in the capitol it was a flurry of activity. Effie and haymitch took us to our design teams, where I met cinna for the first time. He shook my hand. He was the one who had made katniss the girl on fire. What would he do to me?

"I wish I could say it is an honour to meeet you," he said, "but it's just painful."

"I wish we had met under better circumstances." I said to him.

"The tribute parade is tonight."

"I know."

"I was thinking..i was thinking we can do something to make the crowd remember your sister. Remember that you are in the games like your sister was. What do you think aout that?"

"I tgink it sounds perfect." I said.

Before the parade, I emt up with peeta. Cinna had kept my braid like katniss's saying it was a nice touch and would help. He laced red roses throughout my hair and put me in a sparkling red and orange dress that had flowing wings on the back. I looked like a tiny fairy on fire. Peeta was in a red suit with a sparkling collar. We both looked as though flames had engulfed us. We were on fire, just like katniss has been, an just like the rage I felt for the capatiol in me felt.

I got ready as the chariots began to roll out. I didn't grab peeta's hand like akatnss would have. I focused ahead on me as we rolled out behind district 11 and their two victors, Seeder and chaff. The roar of the crowd was astounding and blew me away. Was this how Katniss felt? There was a slight hush when they saw us. Peeta had only won last year and my sister had been in the games last year. All eyes were on us. Me, the fairy on fire, like my sister, who had been a giant in my mind, a titan of my heart.

We rolled down the capitol with everyone cheering, some people even cheering my name, "Primrose!" they would yell but I ignored them. I didnt wat to even look at these people. Peeta was frozen next to me, almost as though he couldnt believe that he was here again.

After the parade, effie talked about how great we were and how much we made an impression.

"You looked really pretty, prim." peeta said to me once we were back off the chariots.

"Thanks." I said begrudgly as cinna walked up to us.

"You were both great." cinna said as he took us off towards our apartment.

"I don't know if we made an impression. Johanna over there is almost naked." Peeta said, looking over at the district 7 tribute, Johanna Mason.

Effie just tsked and whisked us away to our apartments.

At dinner we had every food imagingable and I was astounded at how much there was. Peeta must have been use to it because he seemed to know his favourites right away, whereas I tried a bit of everything. After dinner, I went to my room, a large room with a luxurious bed. Is this the same bed katniss slept in? Was I sleeping in my sister's bed?

"Prim."

I turned around and in the doorway was peeta.

"Hey." I mumbled, thoughts of the arena and my thoughts of what I had thought about on the train coming back to me.

"How are you?"

"Stiupid question." I said, walking towards the bathroom so he'd get the hint and leave.

"Sorry. I just wanted to...well, training starts tomorrow, I wasn't sure if you...had any questions?"

"Just stop trying to protect me, peeta. I'm going to die," I paused and looked at him evenyl, "and you are too."


	6. Chapter 6

Training was overwhelming me. Everyone else was far more skilled than me. I felt daunted by how everyone seemed to learn new things and excel in others. District 4 victor, Finnick Odair, seemed a natural at almost everything. Meanwhile, I was struggling with the most simple things. I should hae asked for katniss's help. In hunting or trapping or something. I was going to die in the bloodbath, way before I managed to get to peeta.

At night I would toss and turn, trying to come up with a plan to get to peeta first. He kept trying to help me during training and iw as shunning his help. Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe...maybe I should let him be an alley to "protect" me and then when I had him by myself, end him. That seemed like the best bet at this point. It hurt me to admit that I would have to act like his friend until the Games got underway, but it was the most I could do tmake my own sinister plan work.

The next day at training, I was fiddling with a snare when peeta walked by, talking to Mags, another District 4 victor, who looked ancient.

"peeta," I said suddenly and he said excuse me and walked over, "Can you help me with this?"

He looked completely taken aback and I couldn't blame him. But it had to be natural. It had to be believable.

"Sure, prim." he said and crouched down by the snare, showing me how to set up a simple trap.

I had no hope of winning the games, I knew this now, but my only hope was to kill peeta. My goal was different from the others. They were playing to win. I was playing to kill.

"Thanks." I said.

He paused, "You're welcome," he paused and shifted his weight, "you spend a lot of this time at the station here. Do you want me to show you others?"

"Sure.' I said, jumping at the chance.

"Great.' he looked relieved almost.

I just thought I was making progress.

Over the course of training, peeta would show me different stations, different ways to kill, tips he had learned from katniss about berries ("no nightlock") and other things. I soaked up all I could.

Finnick leaned forward at one point when Peeta was showing me how to spear, "You should let me show her, peeta."

"No thanks," I snapped, "I want to work with peeta."

Finnick just grinned and backed off and I looked over at peeta. Peeta smiled at me...and this weird fluttering feeling came over. What was that? I must hav eaten too much rich food at dinner.

"Interviews are tomorrow" Haymitch said at dinner that night, "peeta, I don't need to go over this again with you. Prim, effie will help you with them tomorrow."

"I helped katniss too." she beamed.

A lot of good that did, I though sullenly.

That night I couldn't sleep and wandered out to the lliving room.

"Can't sleep?" peeta said from the window.

"Oh,hey." I said, not expecting to see him, or that weird feeling again.

"I can never sleep...i thought I was done with this." he mumbled.

I looked out the window with him, over the capitol.

"Did katniss look out this window?" I asked in the silence.

"Yeah." he said.

"With you?"

"Yeah."

We fell silent.


	7. Chapter 7

The interviews were tonight. Cinna was dressing me up in a more subdued fire theme.

"I didn't have any of katniss's spunk though," I protested when I saw the long red dress, "maybe a water theme?"

"We already did fire at the tribute parade. I want people to see you, prim. And think of the injustice."

I looked in the mirror as he left my hair falling over my shoulders, long, blonde, so unlike Katniss.

Peeta and I were lead to wait for our interviews to start. We all lined on stage and sat down. The roar of the crowd was insane and overhwleming. Was this how katniss had felt? But she hadn't been on stage with twenty-three other victors. Ceaser Flickerman came out and started to speak to the crowd but it's like I could barely hear them. Peeta's hand accidently brushed against mine and I got goosebumps. I hated that feeling and I didn't understand why it was happening. The interviews started. I could barely pay attention. Gloss, Boggs, Finnick, Mags, Johanna, they all started to blur together as I sat there, my palms sweating, my heart racing. I had this wild urge to gab peeta's hand right there for some reason but I controlled myself.

Finally they called up Peeta. The crowd was silent, mostly because this was last year's victor.

Ceaser spoke, "So...peeta..."

"Here again, Ceaser." he said in a light tone, almost shrugging. He was a natural.

"You voluteered, peeta, can you tell us why?"

Peeta paused, then he spoke, "Because of Prim," he glanced aat the crowd and I felt the warmth heating up my face, get a grip Prim, "After...After Katniss helping me in the Games, it just didn't feel right to let her sister go in alone."

The crowd was murmering, they were soaking this up. They probably loved I got reaped. For a second I thought maybe it was fixed...but I couldn't dwell on it now.

"That was very nice of you, peeta."

Peeta shrugged, "Guess I am just destined to be in these games," he tried to joke and he smiled, "What can I say?"

The rest of his interview went by without mention of me. There was no delcaration of love, or anything of the sort.

Then Caeser was speaking and he was saying, "The only tribute from the districts not to be a victor, the sister of last years Katniss Everdeen...Primrose Everdeen." and I picked up the train of my dress and walked over to the stage, my knees shaking. I sat down. The crowd was freakishly silent. Could they hear my heart beating?

"Primrose Everdeen, you are the only tribute who is not a victor. How must that feel?"

"Terrifying." I said, and I wasn't sure if my voice was loud enough or not. I wasn't even sure if I was suppose to admit I was terrified but in that moment I was.

"I think we were all extremely shocked when your name came out of the reaping bowl this year, after your sister volutenteered for you last year in the games."

"I was too." I said, numb. I needed to get it together. I needed to do something to help further my own plan.

"What were you thinking?"

"I...I was thinking nothing. I just walked onto the stage." I admitted. This was going worse by the moment.

"And when Peeta volutneered?"

This was a moment to make an impression, to turn things around to get my plan going on peeta. My stomach did a little flip as I spoke.

"I knew he'd protect me." I said strongly, directly to the crowd.


	8. Chapter 8

After the interviews ended, we went back to the apartments. Peeta was quiet. Effie was babbling, as she tended to do. And I felt sure that I had played my own personal game correctly. I hd thrown peeta a ball that he had to catch. He had to protect me now. And when his guard was down, i'd kill him. Then anyone could kill me, I didn't care.

That night, I could hear the captiol partying before the games started. I wondered if peeta was by the window again. Part of me wanted to see him. I don't know why. But I followed my feet and went to the window. He was there, looking out at the city. My heart fluttered at the sight of him. I ignored it.

"Hey." I whispered.

"Hey." he didn't turn around.

I took a step next to him, my feet cold against the marble.

"Interviews are indtimating aren't they?" he asked me.

My hair was falling around my shoulders, all crinkled from the styling cinna had done.

"Yeah. It was."

There was silence and then he said, "i'll protect you, prim."

a part of me wanted to think bingo! That I had done what I had set out to do. But instead my heart lurched to my throat and I couldn't speak. That urge to grab his hand came out again. I didn't say anything. Neither did peeta. But I felt like I should ay omething to him. Something to him about us. I just wasn't sure what. I wasn't sure what was going on with me. I had been set clear to my purpose when I was reaped. But now, after spending time with him, personal one on one time – would I be able to kill him when the time came? For katniss?

"I'm scared." I admitted.

"Me too." he said.

"You're a victor, at least."

I was aching to hold his hand now. I was aware of his precense right next to me and felt like I was going to act on something crazy. Something I wasn't sure I was ready to admit yet.

"I guess i'll go to bed." I said.

"goodnight." he said.

I left him there and tried to sleep.

The next day, aftr the journey on the hovercraft to the secret place where the arena is, I was taken to the starting chamber. Cinna was waiting for me.

"Just a year ago I sent katniss off..." he started and I knew what he was going to say, but didn't want to hear it.

"Thanks for everything." I said to him and he smiled.

"Good luck prim." he said.

He helped me into the metal tube, and straightening out my braid that katniss had worn. He smiled sadly at me. We both knew I wasn't coming back and that I wouldn't win. My hands were shaking as the tube closed around me. It began to rise, higher and higher, higher, till I was blinded by the sun as we emerged from darkness.

My vision cleared and all I could hear at first was the ocean. The ocean? And then I could make out people on the metal pedestals. And finally, water.

Water, water, everywhere. We'd start in water.

I'm dead, I thought to myself, i'm so dead.


	9. Chapter 9

The countdown started.

I was on the tiny pedestal in the middle of the ocean, which lapped at an island. Katniss had taught me to swim but could peeta? I didn't know. I couldn't make him out. The sun was too bright. I could see the corncoupia on the beach. My breathing came hard. I could swim and I was fast. But going into the bloodbath seemed the quickest way to get killed before my goal of...what? Finding peeta? Killing him? I suddenly felt too afraid to think clearly.

It hit the ten second countdown.

Just find peeta, I thought to myself. Could peeta swim? Then I spotted him. He was three pedestals down. His gaze was locked on me. I would swim to him, I thought. I'd swim to peeta.

Five seconds.

I thought of katniss. I thought of how maybe me getting into the games wer rigged.

Game start.

I launched off the pedestal in a sloppy dive and swam diagonally. Salt water choked me. I was not the best swimmer, but everyone was going to the corncupia and I was going to peeta. The wetsuits had floation devices on them but I needed to get to peeta. I swam the best I could, the waves bobbing me up and down. I could hear everyone else swimming. Let them duel it out there. I had to get to peeta.

Finally I reached him. He couldn't swim and was bobbing around. I grabbed him and he gasped.

"Prim!" he said.

"Come on. Just move your legs." I gasped through mouths of water.

I tried to swim and drag Perrta along. It took us a lot longer than I thought it would to make it to the beach. We rolled onto the surface, gasping for air. I could hear fighting at the corncupia. We were a little ways down from it.

"Thanks." peeta said, spitting out water.

I just nodded.

"Do you think I have a shot?"

"At what?" I asked.

"Getting supplies."

"No. not with your leg." he was slower than normal with his artificial leg, "I'll go."

"Prim, no."

"Wait here. I'll just grab a couple backpacks on the outside of the fighting. I'm fast."

I didn't wait for him to say anything. I don't know when I had suddenly started playing the game with peeta. I told myself once I had a weapon it would change.

I ran down the beach, kicking up sand. I couldn't make out what was going on. Just a lot of death and blood. I grabbed one backpack on the outskirts of the fighting and tossed it on. I grabbed another one for peeta and a long knife laying on the ground. Then I took off away, as quickly as I had come.

As I ran back down the beach, I saw someone walking towards a resting peeta. It was a tribute from district nine. I couldn't remember his name at the moment. But all I knew was he was coming towards peeta with an axe.


End file.
